✨ AI Dining Notes
探索廚房 (Latest Recipe), on the ground floor of Le Méridien Taipei, began upgrading its buffet stations in 2025/9 and reopened on 10/16. This was more than a lighting refresh: the Japanese and griddle stations expanded, and the route around the buffet was redesigned. With the idea of exploring the world from the dining table, the restaurant divides Japanese, Italian, Thai, French, American and Chinese dishes among ten stations. King crab, lobster, abalone, scallops, sea urchin and wagyu vary by sitting, season and promotion. If premium ingredients are your priority, checking the current official menu before heading out is your best bet.
● Seafood Station (Cooked to Order)
At the cooked-to-order station, you submit your order with a clip and the chef prepares it. This keeps seafood warmer than leaving cooked dishes sitting on the buffet. Matsu mussels with black bean and chili seasoning are savory and gently spicy; Singapore Chili Lobster delivers a rich sauce and springy meat; king crab legs steamed with Huadiao wine use a light wine aroma to bring out the crab's sweetness. The selection rotates. Check the labels and ordering instructions before grabbing a clip, and don't submit too many at once or your table will disappear under big plates.
● Japanese Station (Nigiri)
The expanded Japanese station is one of the renovation's main features. Wagyu Nigiri is topped with caviar and salmon roe for a concentrated hit of richness and savory flavor. Sea urchin and salmon roe hand rolls should be eaten while the seaweed is still crisp. At busy times the chefs keep turning out plates, and the rice can occasionally vary in how tightly it is formed. Instead of waiting by the counter for ages, pick up some other cold dishes and come back for a freshly made batch.
● Griddle Station
Live Abalone Grilled with Salted Kombu stands out for its springy flesh and lightly charred edges. The large scallops are best when the centers are still juicy. A buffet griddle handles several portions at a time, so doneness inevitably varies between batches; fresh off the heat is best. If your plate has been sitting for a while, tenderness and aroma will naturally differ. It's fine to be honest about that. Every plate doesn't need to be hailed as a masterpiece.
● Desserts and Drinks
The dessert section continues Le Méridien's French pastry direction, and the restaurant also lists a mobile dessert trolley and an automated cocktail machine. The Thai milk tea popsicle drink gets richer as the popsicle melts. It looks fun, but the popsicle gets in the way of sipping and the sweetness keeps building. Cocktails such as the lychee one have a clean, distinct aroma, but loading up on both desserts and drinks can make the end of the meal cloying. My advice is simple: savory first, sweet later; take a little of each and go back for what you like.
On your first circuit, check the queues for cooked-to-order seafood, Japanese food and the griddle, and alternate cold plates with hot dishes. If you drink, take the MRT. Don't base expectations for special drinks or holiday menus on old articles alone. The restaurant explicitly says dishes change with the fresh ingredients available that day.
- Location:台北市信義區松仁路38號, floor 1 of Le Méridien Taipei; about a 5–10 minute walk from Taipei City Hall (市政府站).
- Background:Reopened after renovation on 2025/10/16, with expanded Japanese and griddle stations and a redesigned buffet route.
- Size:The restaurant lists 250 seats, 3 private rooms and ten themed food stations.
- Reminder:Sittings, prices, deposits, drinks and dishes are subject to the latest official announcements.
📌 Editor's Wrap-Up
The renovated 探索廚房 focuses on freshly cooked seafood and larger Japanese and griddle stations, rather than simply piling on more dishes. The ingredients show care, while cooking between batches and drink sweetness do vary. Start with the stations that matter most to you and avoid aimlessly filling plates; that is how to get value from this expensive buffet.
